Avianca LifeMiles American Express vs Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite

Every figure below is from the same dataset Miles computes its recommendations from. Rows the two cards agree on are collapsed at the bottom.

Economics

Dollar figures are per year unless the row says otherwise. Ongoing annual value is Miles' estimate of what the card adds per year after its annual fee: statement credits discounted for realistic use, benefits, and earning above a strong flat-rate card on a typical spending profile. First-year value is a separate net figure that includes the welcome bonus. A welcome bonus shown at its advertised maximum may not be available to every applicant; that figure is not marked as stronger. ★ marks the stronger comparable figure on other rows, and no row is marked when either figure is unknown.
Figure	Avianca LifeMiles American Express First Electronic Bank	Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite First Electronic Bank
Annual fee	Best: $99 $150/yr less	$249
Ongoing annual value, after fee	Best: −$26 $174/yr more	−$200
First-year value	$458	Best: $910 $452/yr more
Authorized user fee	—Unknown	—Unknown

Sign-up Bonus

The current welcome offer as recorded in the dataset. No winner is marked: a bonus is points times a valuation times a spend requirement you may or may not clear, and the first-year value above already prices it.
Offer	Avianca LifeMiles American Express First Electronic Bank	Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite First Electronic Bank
Current offer	40K LifeMiles after $3K spend in first 90 days	Up to 100K miles: Earn 60K bonus miles after $4.5K spend in the first 90 days + 40K miles after $25K total spend in first 365 days

Earning

Percentages are the return on a dollar spent: the multiplier times what Miles values those points at. ★ marks the higher return on a row. Categories only one card earns a bonus on are marked for that card; the other earns its base rate.
Category	Avianca LifeMiles American Express First Electronic Bank	Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite First Electronic Bank
Grocery Stores	Best: 2X2.6%	—Unknown
Travel	—Unknown	Best: 2X2.6%
Avianca purchases	2X2.6%	Best: 3X3.9%

Benefits

Statement credits, lounge access and elite status as listed in the dataset; protections are counted, not listed. No winner is marked: twelve small credits are not more than two large ones, and the row that prices them, ongoing annual value, is under Economics.
Benefit	Avianca LifeMiles American Express First Electronic Bank	Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite First Electronic Bank
Statement credits	—Unknown	LifeMiles+ Lite: $20 (Monthly)
Lounge access	—Unknown	Avianca Lounges (5/yr)
Elite status	Avianca LifeMiles Silver Elite	Avianca LifeMiles Silver Elite
Protections	1	1

The same on both cards (7)

Rows where both cards state the same figure or the same earning rate. Nothing is marked, because there is no stronger side.
Fact	Avianca LifeMiles American Express	Avianca LifeMiles American Express Elite
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Issuer	First Electronic Bank	First Electronic Bank
Rewards currency	Avianca LifeMiles	Avianca LifeMiles
Card type	Personal	Personal
Network	American Express	American Express
All other purchases	1X1.3%	1X1.3%
Dining	2X2.6%	2X2.6%

Which one is right for you

This page shows the difference. It does not pick: the winner depends on what you spend and what you already hold, and adding these figures up without knowing that would be a guess dressed as a verdict. Ask Miles and it computes the answer against your own wallet.

Ask Miles which to get